Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1989. január-június (43. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)

1989-03-16 / 11. szám

Thursday, March 16. 1989.

AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO

11.

toionii Kovnis.uiE ore here

March 15 seems to be a proper time to recall some historic moments at wich the destinies of Hungarians converged with those of the American people.

On June 14, 1917 General Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe paid tribute to the memory of General Lafayette who helped George Washington win victory in the War of Independence.

HUNGARIANS, TOO HELPED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THEIR FIRST RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY, IN THEIR LIFE-AND DEATH STRUGGLE TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL GREATNESS. 141 Hungarians, mostly hussars, led by Colonel Mihály Ko- vats fought shoulder to shoulder with the • soldiers of Lafayette.

But that was only the beginning of Hungarian contribution in shaping America's destiny. Four score years after the end! of the War of Independence ONE THOUSAND HUNGARIAN EXILES, BATTLE-TESTED VETERANS OF KOSSUTH's GLORIOUS ARMY VOLUNTEERED THE GIFT TO PRESERVE THE UNITED STATES AND TO ABOLISH SLAVERY IN THIS COUNTRY.

There were approximately four thousand Hungarians living at that time in the United States. That meant that every fourth Hungarian joined, willingly, enthusiastically the Union Army. Out of these one thousand Hungarian volunteers almost one hundred fifty became officers in Lincoln's army. Seven among them became generals (one received the Congressional Medal of Honor), 17 reached the rank of colonel, 12 lieutenant-colonel and more than hundred became captains and lieutenants.

In view of the fact that most of the professional officers in the army were southerners, the joining up of more than a hundred well-trained officers were of inestimable help to the Union Army.

A generation later, hundreds of thousands of young Hungarians, the flower of that nation, began to arrive and work in the mines, mills, foundries of the United States and helped lay the foundation of an industrial might of this nation. Andrew Carnegie stated once that each immigrant worker meant an extra 1000 dollars for him. Today the amount would be closer to 20.000 dollars.

In this century, lost wars, lost revolutions, the coming of fascism caused scores of talented Hungarian scientists to come to the United States. Theirs was a historic role in making America a preeminent world power.

Hungarian scientists and technicians laid the foundation in this century of the computer industry, of jet engineering. A trio of Hungarian scientists: Szilard,

Wigner and Teller together with one Italian, Fermi, made the United States the world's leading atomic power and warded off the possibility of the Nazis getting- the atomic bomb first.

The native homeland of this small but gifted Hungarian people that gave so much to the United States is today fighting for its • economic survival. In determining the amount and quality of financial assistance that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund will assign tht various debtor

I . , . » I i * * • « • t • 'M *• t» vwvuufyw»j « « ' * * • •

Colonel Kovats

nations, wiu any American member of these organizations think of the moral debt that the United States owes the land whence thousands of Hungarians came to leave imperishable impact in making America great?

Will a new Pershing emerge from among them and say: "Colonel Kovats, we are here! We appreciate what you and your fellow Hungarians did for us throughout the ages!"

JOSEPH SAUSER

Although we are terribly grieved by the death of our Papa, Joseph Sauser on February 24, 1989. we take solace in knowing that he touched the lives of every person who knew him with his loving and kind ways.

Sincere and true in his heart and mind he was not only a wonderful father but a friend and mentor. We will be forever indebted to him for teaching us to lead our lives with love, honesty and integrity. His heart was purer than gold and to those who knew him and loved him, his memory will neves grow cold.

Daughters

Emily Meyer, Kathleen Sauser and Mary Pupich

*

We are sending you $100.- in memory of Joseph Sauser, who was a supporter of the Hungarian Word and occasionally wrote poetry for the paper.

Julie Pupich, Walter and June Pupich, Michael and Janet Schwartz, Walter and Anne Raich, William and Mary Kay Pupich.

! ■ '.'.wv:'. •: :o •>» >

Tennessee

Discovering

Hungary?

For six days in October, negotiations aimed at obtaining information about business possibilities in Hungary were carried on by a trade mission from Tennessee, United States which was incidentally the first American delegation of such a nature to make a visit to Hungary in the last ten years. The thirteen companies constituting the Tennessee mission were — except for one — small enterprises in the American sense (with less than 200 employees), nevertheless they represented the full cross- section of industry in the USA, in respect of engineering, manufacturing and services. The mission headed by John Dwyer, president of Merrick Engineering, consisted of companies fairly well known in Hungary. However, for some members of the mission this was the first time to size up opportunities in here. The companies participating in the mission were as follows: Aladdin International, Ace Pump, Bristol Compressors, Can-Do, Combustion Engineering, De Royal Industries, Farris War- field and Kannady, Jerry Bogo Co., Leisure Foods, Julien Co., Medical Mart International, Merrick Engineering, and Quality Industries. The dean of Chattanooga University joined the mission. The businessmen — having talks with the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce about the legal rules concerning joint ventures in Hungary and about the new law on association — met the representatives of the press in the Hilton Hotel. They said their first impressions were good and they considered the conditions in Hungary to be favourable for expanding their existing business relations and establishing new ones. The exchange rate of the dollar, they said, could again provide competitive advantages to the American firms as against their West European rivals. In the course of their visit they had business talks with some seventy Hungarian industrial enterprises and trading companies, and the dean of the Tennessee University discussed preliminary arrangements for American students' study tours. The guests were keen to exploit the renewing dynamism of economic relations between Hungary and the United States whose bilateral trade exceeded half a billion dollars last year.

FAN MAIL

Dear Friends:

Thanks for keeping the paper coming. I am grateful for the English page, for the news and stories it carries and for whatever connection it gives me with the venerable "Magyar Szó". I am sending $10.- to cover expenses.

Mitch Berkowitz

Here is a small token of my appreciation for the English Page of the Magyar Szó. Thanks very much! Hope you are well. Best wishes in all your endeavors. I am sending $5.- to cover expenses.

Lillian K. Neumann

% - * .* . .'j y j'j‘J * • ‘